This invention relates to an engine block for a water-cooled internal combustion engine, having a one-piece, die-cast block component encompassing the cylinder head, the cylinder block and one part of the crankcase.
In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the number of components and the cost of assembly, it has been known to make the engine block of a single light metal cast component, particularly a die-cast component which encompasses the cylinder head, the cylinder block and that part of the crankcase which is associated with the cylinders. Such an arrangement is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift (Application Published before Examination) No. 2,501,605. Since the conventional technology has not found it feasible to provide in such an engine block liquid coolant passages in that zone about the cylinders which is situated underneath the intake and exhaust conduits--in view of the fact that a removal of the casting core has not been considered possible--in those zones of the cylinder block a wall portion with cooling ribs has been provided. The purpose of such a ribbed wall is to transfer the heat generated in the cylinder, to the coolant passages and to the ambient atmosphere. These measures, however, do not ensure a uniform cooling of the cylinder wall along its circumference; this circumstance may lead to adverse thermal conditions during the operation of the engine.